Whether they have any evidence of British men training to take part in hostilities in Kashmir.[HL2311]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We are aware of reports of UK citizens travelling overseas for "Jihad" training, and of allegations that these individuals then take part in conflicts in different parts of the world. There is no evidence of any breach of UK laws.

18 May 2000 : Column WA37

Lord Ahmed asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they support a final resolution of the Kashmir conflict; and what steps they have taken in this regard.[HL2312]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We fully support India and Pakistan in their search for a solution in Kashmir. We continue to encourage them to return to dialogue to find a just and lasting solution acceptable to the people of Kashmir.

Nuclear Disarmament

Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will adopt and implement the Model Convention on the prohibition of the development, testing, production, stockpiling, transfer, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons and on their elimination contained in Security and Survival--The Case for a Nuclear Weapons Convention, issued by the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms, the International Network of Engineers and Scientists Against Proliferation, the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War and others.[HL2318]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: As I made clear to my noble friend on 12 April 2000, (WA 188), the Government do not believe the circumstances yet exist to make starting negotiations on a nuclear weapons convention a practical proposition.

Over Thirty Months Scheme: Weight Limit

Lord Tomlinson asked Her Majesty's Government:

When the weight limit on payments for cattle entering the Over Thirty Months Scheme will be removed.[HL2515]

The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Hayman): On 12 May the Beef Management Committee agreed to a Commission proposal to remove the weight limit on payments for all cattle entering the Over Thirty Months Scheme. This will take effect for all cattle entering the scheme on or after 5 June. This delivers on a key element of the Government's Action Plan for Farming. It is worth £20 million a year in payments to UK farmers and will also increase asset values. It will be of particular benefit to those running suckler herds.

Non-attendance at School: Parental Fines

Baroness Blatch asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many parents have been found guilty and fined in connection with the offence of non-attendance at school; and[HL2404]

18 May 2000 : Column WA38

What is the average fine for parents found guilty in connection with the offence of non-attendance at school; and[HL2405]

How many parents have received the maximum fine of £2,500 in connection with the offence of non-attendance at school.[HL2406]

The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Baroness Blackstone): We estimate that local education authorities undertake around 9,000 prosecutions a year of parents whose children are not attending school regularly. But in 80 per cent of cases, parents do not turn up in court and are fined in their absence. To challenge this culture amongst some parents that education is not important, we are proposing the rise in the level of the offence for non-attendance at school. More detailed information on the numbers found guilty and average fines is, however, not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Fresh Start Schools

Baroness Blatch asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which schools have been selected for the Fresh Start programme; which schools continue to be part of the programme; which schools have failed or been recommended for closure; and what are the costs for each school associated with the programme.[HL2407]

Baroness Blackstone: Fresh Start is not a programme but an option for local education authorities to tackle failure. A Fresh Start requires the closure of a "failing" school and the opening of a new school on the same site. It offers a radical approach to securing school improvement for failing schools showing insufficient evidence of recovery.

Fresh Start policy is at its infancy--only 15 schools have undergone a Fresh Start to date, 11 secondary and four primary. Three opened in September 1998, eight in September 1999, two in January 2000, one in April 2000 and one in May 2000.

New School Name

Former School Name

Phase

LEA Area

September 1998

Firfield Community School

Blakelaw School

Secondary

Newcastle

Fir Vale School

Earl Marshall School

Secondary

Sheffield

Regis County Secondary

The King's CE School

Secondary

Wolverhampton

September 1999

East Brighton College of Media Arts

The Marina High School

Secondary

Brighton

Islington Arts and Media

George Orwell School

Secondary

Islington

Kingswood High School

Perronet Thompson School

Secondary

Kingston upon Hull

Telegraph Hill

Hatcham Wood School

Secondary

Lewisham

Bishopsford Community School

Watermeads High School

Secondary

Merton

River Leen School

Alderman Derbyshire School

Secondary

Nottingham City

New Parks Community College

New College

Secondary

Leicester City

Langham School

Park View Academy

Secondary

Haringey

January 2000

Manor Oak Primary

Kevington Primary School

Primary

Bromley

The Richard Heathcote Community Primary

Heathcote County Primary

Primary

Staffordshire

April/May 2000

New Christ Church CE VC Primary

Christ Church CE VC Primary

Primary

Reading

Goose Green Primary

Grove Vale Primary

Primary

Southwark

At the end of the spring term 2000, 446 schools were deemed to be "failing" and in need of special measures. A Fresh Start is planned for eight of these schools by the local education authorities concerned in September 2000. The schools are in Sheffield, Bristol, Hackney, Bournemouth, Essex, Stockport and Northamptonshire.

So far, local education authorites have met the costs associated with the Fresh Start process using a variety of existing funding sources, including the Standards Fund and New Deal for Schools. The costs of Fresh Start will vary and details are not readily available.

In line with the Government's ambitious new targets that all schools should achieve 20 per cent five GCSEs at Grades A*-C by 2004 and 25 per cent by 2006, all schools gaining less than 15 per cent 5A*-C at GCSE over three years must consider a Fresh Start. The Government is intending to make £60 million of capital funding available for Fresh Start schools and City Academies this year and an additional £13 million will be made available to cover the transition costs of setting up the new schools and embedding best practice.

Fresh Start has been an option for some of the hardest cases. The schools are new and fragile, and there are no quick fixes. But there are early signs of improvement in the first schools. Exam results are up and truancy down--to a marked degree.

18 May 2000 : Column WA40

5+ A*-C GCSEs

Unauthorised Absence

School/Year

1997

1999

1997

1999

Firvale

57

80

8.9

3.2

Firfield Community School

43

74

12.6

3.3

The King's School

81

91

13.2

8.5

Fresh Start is one of a number of options aimed at turning round failing schools more quickly. The average turn-around time for special measures schools now stands at 18 months for schools coming on to special measures since May 1997. This is down from

25 months for schools coming under special measures between 1993 and April 1997.